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Slugs and voles are related

No, not species-wise. But voles and slugs often dine together on cover crop seed.

John Vogel, Editor, American Agriculturist

March 9, 2018

1 Min Read
SEED-EATER: Unincorporated cover crop seeds are ready rations for voles and slugs.HelenWalkerz65/iStocl/Thinkstock

While not species-related, voles and slugs often show up together at the broadcasted and unincorporated “dinner table” of cover crop seed. That assumes they survive winter, says Jim Hoorman, Northeast regional soil health specialist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

“There’s about an 80% to 90% overlap in what they like and dislike,” he says. “The most effective best management practice, so far this year, has been the cold winter with up and down temps. It should greatly reduce vole and slug populations.”

Drilling or planting forces them to work for it. For voles, drilling large-seeded cover crops deeper than 2 inches reduces their ability to smell the seed. Most damage in the spring occurs when the soil is too wet. 

When the seed slot doesn’t close, voles and slugs can just follow the seed furrow. They both like emerging cotyledons or lush growing vegetation. If possible, delay planting until the soil dries out.

After a national NRCS webinar in March, Hoorman expects to release new slug and vole fact sheets on scouting, predators, alternative feeds and baits and BMPs through Cooperative Extension in April.

About the Author(s)

John Vogel

Editor, American Agriculturist

For more than 38 years, John Vogel has been a Farm Progress editor writing for farmers from the Dakota prairies to the Eastern shores. Since 1985, he's been the editor of American Agriculturist – successor of three other Northeast magazines.

Raised on a grain and beef farm, he double-majored in Animal Science and Ag Journalism at Iowa State. His passion for helping farmers and farm management skills led to his family farm's first 209-bushel corn yield average in 1989.

John's personal and professional missions are an integral part of American Agriculturist's mission: To anticipate and explore tomorrow's farming needs and encourage positive change to keep family, profit and pride in farming.

John co-founded Pennsylvania Farm Link, a non-profit dedicated to helping young farmers start farming. It was responsible for creating three innovative state-supported low-interest loan programs and two "Farms for the Future" conferences.

His publications have received countless awards, including the 2000 Folio "Gold Award" for editorial excellence, the 2001 and 2008 National Association of Ag Journalists' Mackiewicz Award, several American Agricultural Editors' "Oscars" plus many ag media awards from the New York State Agricultural Society.

Vogel is a three-time winner of the Northeast Farm Communicators' Farm Communicator of the Year award. He's a National 4-H Foundation Distinguished Alumni and an honorary member of Alpha Zeta, and board member of Christian Farmers Outreach.

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